Internal combustion engine



Jam. 37, 193 H. D. CHURCH 2,144,449

' INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 15; 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l HAHOLJ? D. CHURCH.

Jan. 17, 1939.

H. D. CHURCH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Dec. 15, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- HAROLD D. CHURCH.

' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 PATENT OFFICE mam]. COMBUSTION ENGINE mm 1). Church, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application December 15, 1921, Serial m. 119,903

11 Claims.

This invention relates broadly to internal combustion engines and more specifically to 'media for cooling the head of the pistons therein.

In my co-pending application, Serial No.

p 58,370, filed January 9, 1936 and entitled Internal combustion engine, a piston cooling system is disclosed which embodies generally a rocker arm assembly having fluid passages therein connected to the chambered head of the piston through conduits organized for automatic adjustment compensative the relative movement of the rocker arm and piston during the operation.

of the engine.

My present invention contemplates a piston cooling system for engines of the type having high unit pressure loads throughout the length of the piston pin and/or engineswhere the rate of travel of the piston precludes the practical 1 application of a fluid connectionof the link type or one having a member subjected to sliding engagement with the full travel of the reciprocative part with which it is associated.

In addition to the foregoing, the invention further contemplates a connecting rod provided with fluid passages for the circulation of a cooling medium to the chambered head of the piston and to an improved and more comprehensive construction of the conduits forming ,the connections between the reciprocating member and connecting rod.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a telescopic coupling which is positive of operation and organized for minimized reciprocative movement between the tubes em-.

bodying the assembly.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary of the foregoing and the manner in which all the various objects are realized will appear in the following description which, considered in connection with the accompanying draw: lugs, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a fragmentary portion of an internal combustion engine illustrating the improved fluid circulatory system and the connections therefor;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the portion of the engine illustrated in Fig. 1, and taken on the plane normal thereto; I

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through a fragmentary por ion of the cylinder block and piston illustrating a modified form of the coupling members and fluid passages in the piston;

.with a spherical seat for the reception of the Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of an alternate arrangement of fluid passages leading to the chambered head of the piston;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the-connecting rod, the section being taken on a plane 5 indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the connecting red, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 6-6 ih Fig. 1.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the engine 10 chosen for purposes of illustration herein comprises a crankcase 10 having the customary crankshaft journal bearings II, the crankshaft l2 and connecting rod 13, the cylinder block 14 is formed with a sleeve l5 having a piston l6 I mounted for reciprocative movement therein. The crankshaft bearings II are formed with an annular groove 8 ported for continuous communication with a duct 19 connected through a conduit 20 for circulating a cooled lubricant from 20 an oil cooler 20a. and oil pump 2% through said conduit. The crankshaft I2 is drilled to form a passage 2| between the crankshaft journals and the connecting rod pin 22, the passage 21 being arranged to facilitate the continuous circulation 25 of. fluid from the duct 19 to an annular groove 23 formed in the connecting rod bearing 24. The connecting rod 13 is machined with a longitudinal bore 25 extending throughout the length thereof for conducting lubricant to the wrist pin 30 bearing 26. The connecting rod is formed with a boss 21 intermediate the endsof the rod, which is drilled for fluid communication with the bore or passage 25. The face of the boss 21 is formed ball end 2a of a tube 29 engageable with the 5 spherical seat in the boss 21. Within the tube 28 there is a second tube 30 formed with a ball' 'end 3| engaged within a spherical seat formed in a boss 32 in the lower face of. the piston wrist pin boss 33. The wrist pin bossis drilled to pro- 40 vide a fluid passage 34 extending from the ball seat 32 to the chambered head portion 35 of the piston IS. The wrist pin boss is also formed with an annular groove 36 circumambient the wrist pin and disposed to register with the fluid passage 34. The opposed wrist pin boss 38 isfdrilled pin within the piston bosses.

having a ball end 44 thereon engageable in the seat 40. The telescopic tubes 29 and 42 are assembled with springs 45 disposed between the shouldered bores thereof and the ends of the tubes 30 and 43, respectively, the springs being adapted to maintain the ball ends of the rods in their seated engagement with the seats in the connecting rod and piston bosses at the maxi mumoperativespeed of the engine. The boss 4| is drilled to communicate with a bore 46 in the connecting rod, the latter passage-way being connected with a port 41 formed in a boss 48 in the connecting rod crank pin end.

Within the crankcase l0 adjacent the crankshaft arms'49 there is a semi-circular guard or shield 50 adapted to prevent excessive lubrication of the cylinder walls of the engine by the oil 111..- charged from the canal 41. The shield 50 is preferably of a channular form, the outer depending flange thereof being disposed relatively close to the connecting rod, thus affording a cover plate over a generous portion of the open end of the cylinder. (See Fig. 1.)

In certain types of internal combustion engines it has been found desirable to employ anti-friction bearings of the so-called needle type in order to sustain the dynamic loading imposed upon the wrist pin journal bearings. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 where such bearings are employed in conjunction with the wrist pin assemblies it will be noted that the design provides for the-delivery of fluid about the bearing without sacrifice of static or dynamic bearing area throughout the length of the wrist pin. It will also be noted that the construction provides for the lubrication of the wrist pin bearing through the channel formed by the extension of the bore 25 in the connecting rod.

The circulatory system for the oil constituting the cooling medium contemplated herein comprises a source of cooled lubricant under pressure and suitable fluid connections to the conduit 20 and passages leading to the chamber 35 in the head of the piston. As the cool oil flows through the chamber and across the top of ,the piston it absorbs suflicient heat to maintainthe upper zone of the piston at temperatures permitting power outputs per unit of piston displacement which would otherwise be impossible. 'I he heated oil in the chamber is discharged. therefrom through the passage 39, tube connections 43and 42, connecting rod bore 46 and outlet 41. The oil thus discharged is arrested from entry into the openend of the cylinder l5 by the guard or shield 50.

As illustrated in Fig. 3 the wrist pin 31 is formed with longitudinal bores extending partially through the pin and defining a transverse dividing wall 5|. The cylindrical wall of the Pin is drilled adjacent its ends to form ports 52 and 53 constituting respectively the intake and discharge openings for the cooling lubricant delivered through the telescopic tube assemblies 54 and 55. In this embodiment the spherical heads of the tube assemblies are supported in bearing blocks 56 which are formed with tubular extensions 51 projected through the wrist pin bosses and apertures in the wrist pin31, to form fluid communication to and from the piston head chamber and also to prevent the rotation of the The bearing blocks 56 are secured to the faces of the wrist pin bosses 33 by machine screws 58. Upon the face of the blocks there are caps 59 formed with suificient bearing surface to support the lower portion of the spherical heads of the tube assemblies 54 and and prevent separation of the ball ends of the tubes from their seats, thus effecting the reciprocative movement of the telescopic tube members during the oscillatory movement of the connecting rod. It is obvious that in such design the springs 45 may be eliminated without hazard to the operative function of the device.

In Fig. 4 a. connecting rod is illustrated which embodies a wear bushing IU of the tubular type. In this embodiment the piston wrist pin bosses 1|. are formed with cored annular canals l2 circumambient the wrist pin bearing and in fluid communication with the chamber 35 in the head of the piston. The canals 12 are in fluid communication with the inlet and discharge passages in the connecting rod 13 through ducts 14 in the lower face of the wrist pin bosses H and telescopic tube assemblies 15 of the form illustrated in Fig. 3.

An'inherent advantage of the present design resides in the minimized reciprocative movement of the telescopic tube assemblies. To this end the ballseats in-the piston bosses are disposed in the vertical plane passing through the medial axis of the wrist pin as near to the wrist pin axis as possible and as near to the vertical axis of the piston as is possible. Likewise, as will be seen in Fig. 2, the lower ends of the telescopic tubes are disposed upon the center line ofthe connecting rod so as to effect equi-angular movement of the tubes and consequent minimized reciprocative movement thereof during the full cycle of connecting rod operation.

Although the foregoing description is necessarily of a detailed character, in order that the invention may be completely set forth. it is to be understood that the specific terminology is not intended to be restrictive or confining, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail maybe resorted to without de-' parting from the scope or spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine embodying a crankshaft connecting rod and piston means for cooling the head of the piston which comprises a transverse wall adjacent the head of the piston defining a chamber, wrist pin bosses in said piston having passages therein in fluid communication with said chamber, bearing seats in said piston bosses, bearing seats in said connecting rod intermediate its ends, telescopic tubes intermediate said piston and connecting rod bearing seats. said connecting rod having passageways therein in fluid communication with said telescopic tubes, one of said passage-ways being in fluid communication with a channel -in said crankshaft containing a cooled lubricant under pressure. v

2. In an internal combustion engine embodying a crankshaft, connecting rod and chambered piston. means for coolingsaid piston comprising mechanism for circulating a cooled lubricant under pressure through communicating passages defined by the walls of the crankshaft and connecting rod, yieldable tubes intermediate said connecting rod and piston, the walls of said piston defining passages communicating with the chambered head thereof and said yieldable tubes.

3. In an internal combustion engine embodying a piston, connecting rod and crankshaft, a piston cooling system comprising, a wall adjacent the head of the piston defining a chamber, wrist pin bosses in said piston having passages therein circumambient the wrist pin and in communica-.

passage in said connecting rod and with a source tion with said chamber, telescopic tubes having one end thereof mounted in said wrist pin bosses in fluid communication with said passages and having the opposed endthereof mounted in said connecting rod, the walls of said connecting rod defining passages in communication with said telescopic tubes, one of the passages in said connecting rod being in fluid communication with a canal defined by the walls of said crankshaft and containing a cooled lubricant under pressure, another of the passages in said connecting rod opening in a side wall thereof and constituting the discharge passage for the lubricant circulated through said chamber in said piston.

4. In an internal combustion engine embodying a piston connecting rod and crankshaft, means for cooling the head of the piston comprising, a.

wall within said piston defining a chamber adjacent the head thereof, wrist pin bosses having passages therein extending from the lower faces of the bosses around the wrist pin bearing and in communication with said chamber, spherical seats in the lower faces of said bosses concentric said passages, ball ended telescopic tubeshaving one end thereof engaged in said seats, bosses in said connecting rod intermediate its ends, spherical seats in said bosses, said connecting rod having fluid passages therein communicating with said seats, the opposed ends'of said tubes being engaged in the seats in said connecting rod bosses, means for the retention of said tubes within their seats, said crankshaft having a passage therein communicating with a source of cooled lubricant under pressure, one of the passages in said connecting rod being in fluid communication with the passage in said crankshaft and constituting in combination with the telescopic tubeassociated therewith an inlet canal for the lubricant circulated through the chamber in said piston, another of said passages in said connecting rod terminating in an opening upon an external face of the rod and constituting in combination with the telescopic tube associated therewith a discharge canal for the lubricant circulated through the chamber in said piston.

5. In an internal combustion engine embodying a chambered piston, a connecting rod and a crankshaft, mechanism for conducting a coolant to and from the chambered head of said piston comprising, yieldable tubular connections intermediate said piston and said connecting rod, said connecting rod having fluid passages therein comto and from the chambered head of said piston,

comprising, yieldable tubular connections intermediate said piston and said connecting rod, said connecting rod having an inlet passage therein communicatingwith one of said tubuiar connections and with the wrist pin bearing, and having a second passage vthereinconstituting a discharge passage connected with another'of said tubular connections, said piston having an inlet and discharge passage therein connecting said chamber with said tubular connections, said crankshaft having a passage therein connected with said inlet of cooled lubricant under pressure.

7. In an internal combustion engine embodying a chambered piston, a connecting rod and a crankshaft, mechanism for conducting a coolant to and from the chambered head of said piston, comprising, a pair of longitudinally yieldable tube assemblies mounted for swiveled movement intermediate said connecting rod and said piston, said connecting rod having an inlet passage therein communicating with one of said tube assemblies and with the wrist pin bearing for the lubrication thereof and having a second passage therein constituting a discharge passage having an opening adjacent the crank pin bearing, said last named passage being connected with the second tube assembly, said piston having inlet and discharge passages therein connecting said chamber with the respective tube assemblies, said crankshaft having a passage therein connected with said inlet passage in said connecting rod and with a source of cooled oil under pressure, and a bafiie plate adjacent the discharge opening in said connecting rod for restricting the admis-- sion of oil into the engine cylinder.

8. In an internal combustion engine embodying a crankshaft, connecting rod and a reciprocating member, means for cooling said reciprocating member comprising, yieldable tubes intermediate said connecting rod and said reciprocating member, said connecting rod and reciprocating member having passages therein in communication with said tubes, said crankshaft having a passage therein in communication with one of the passages in said connectingrod and with a source of cooled lubricant under pressure.

9. In an internal combustion engine embodying a piston, connecting rod and crankshaft, means for cooling said piston comprising, a wall adjacent the head of the piston defining a chamber, wrist pin bosses in said piston having passages therein in communication with said chamber, a wrist pin in said bosses having passages in communication with the passages in the wrist pin bosses, telescopic tubes having one end thereof mounted in the wrist pin bosses in communica tion with the passages therein and having the opposed ends thereof mounted in said connecting rod, the walls of said connecting rod defining passages in communication with said telescopic tubes, 3

one of the passages in said connecting rod being in fluid communication with a canal defined by the walls of said crankshaft and containing a cooled lubricant under pressure, another of the passages in said connecting rod opening in a side in said piston disposed to define a chamber in the head thereof, wrist pin bosses in said piston having passages therein communicating with said chamber, bushings in said bosses having annular grooves in the periphery thereof in registration with said passages, a wrist pin in said bushing constituting the bearing for the connecting rod,

therein in communication with the passage in the comprising mechanism for circulating a cooled connecting rod leading to said wrist pin bearing lubricant through said fluid passages and yieldand in communication with mechanism for the able connections between said connecting rod and delivery of a cooledlubricant under pressure. piston for, circulating the lubricant in said crank- 5 11. In an internal combustion engine embodyshaft and connecting rod passages to and from 5 ing a crankshaft and connecting rod having intersaid chambered piston.

communicating fluid passages therein and a chambered piston, means for cooling said piston, HAROLD D. CHURCH. 

